CuCuLand

Flaunting a stage name that has already killed the dreams of dozens of aspiring drag queens across the nation, Cuban powerhouse Cucu Diamantes releases CuCu Land her first solo album after several years of behind the curtains work for latin megastars such as Celia Cruz and Juanes and a memorable stint as vocalist for the latin funk band Yerba Buena.

Diamantes oozes glamour and attitude (think Dita Von Teese flawlessness plus a strong helping of Carmen Miranda feistiness) and has the voice to match and surpass the eye candy factor. She delivers her lyrics in a style that echoes the delirious chanting of Cuban diva La Lupe while her throaty vocal chords can equally please fans of Chavela Vargas and Olga Ta??n.

The album is a quick and effective concoction of 9 fun and catchy songs that depict stories about unrequited love that won't exactly find the titular character mopping the floor with her own tears.

Diamantes pleas to find her man but in the least candy coated way ("Show me The Money Papi") and as much as she yearns for the idyllic 'hombre de sus sue?os' she's not settling for nothing less that what she really, really wants ("Alguien").

Listening to the album and staring at the album cover we are easily and willingly transported to a cigar fogged and rum soaked 1950's cabaret in La Habana. And it is not hard to picture Cucu Diamantes fluttering her heavily mascaraed fake eyelashes every weekend night for a revering audience of Latin lovers who canonly think about bedding her while the requisite handful of closeted queens envy her fabulousness.

We may be reaching the end of the hot and sunny season but that is no excuse to not turn Cucu Diamantes impossible tongue twister of a smashing single Alguien into your summer song.